Crystal Tears II
by KalmeKalica
Summary: What do you do when your happily ever after comes crashing in? Sequel to Crystal Tears
1. Prologue: The Interrupted Marraige

Alright people! This is the first chapter in the sequel to Crystal Tears. Its really short, I know. But don't worry! Its just to start you off. Remember: It's the **prologue.** Trust me, we've got a long way to go. Don't forget to review! It tells me that people are actually reading this and enjoying it, so then I can write more!

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Final Fantasy characters, however, I desperately wish that I could own Zidane. sniffles I LOVE HIS TAIL! And I wish that I could own Kuja, because then silverwitch07 might be happy!

Claimer: Oh, and I forgot to mention. I own Cyra, Malica, Kalika and any other cat that appears in this fic unless otherwise stated. Please ask before you use! Oh yeah. I have an account on a fanart site, so now I have up pictures of both Cyra and Malica, and Cyra's unnamed daughter who appears in this fic .

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Zidane watched as his elegant bride walked down the isle in perfect rhythm to the beautiful music playing. She glanced up at him, through her veil and smiled, her russet eyes shining like they'd never before. Her dress was strapless, and since it was summer, it really didn't matter. The sun shone down on her, for the wedding was set on one of the highest balconies on Alexandria's castle. Her bouquet of flowers was of both red and white roses, and her small, delicate hands were hidden beneath beautiful gloves. Her hair was held back only by her beautiful headpiece, and a train followed her. Zidane could only stare at her in awe as she finally found her place next to him at the alter. She smiled at his boyish grin he cast at her. The minister cleared his throat.

"Dearly Beloved, we are gathered here for the joyous union of Queen Garnet til Alexandros the 17th, and Zidane Tribal." Dagger felt an overwhelming urge to move the tiny stray piece of hair out of Zidane's eyes as the minister spoke, and Zidane noticed her playful apprehension. He chuckled softly, and Dagger felt a small urge to kick him, but fortunately contained herself.

"If there is anyone here that objects to this wedding, please speak now, or forever hold your piece." Zidane winked at Dagger, having a pretty good idea that no one would interrupt. The minister continued.

"Well, in that case…"

"I OBJECT!" The voice emanated from the back, and a woman stood there. At first, Zidane paled and whispered, "No….Cyra?" Garnet instantly noticed Zidane's pale face and glanced out at the woman out at the end of the path. She stared cruelly at Zidane. The minister cleared his throat. "For what reason should not these two be wed?" he asked, glancing at the woman. "Because he's betrothed."

"To whom!" Dagger screamed, staring at Zidane, who had gone even paler. His lips moved, just a little, and he whispered in a voice no louder than a breath, "Kalika."


	2. Hurt and Alone

OMG! I haven't updated in SOOO long! I am so sorry…

I'm almost out of school so I'll upload more. I AM SOOOO SORRY I haven't uploaded much lately. I promise, the story ain't dead after the prologue! Here's chapter 1, **_Hurt and Alone._**

Enjoy!

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In that tiny cell, with nothing but the walls for company, Zidane thought. He thought of Dagger; he thought of how she felt now. With a deep sigh, he tired not to imagine her upon her bed, alone and afraid for him. _She's already gone through this before,_ Zidane thought; _I have no right to put her though this again._

Silently, Zidane lay down upon the cold ground, trying to ignore the pain in his wrists. Kylima had tied him _excruciatingly_ tightly. With nothing else to do, he tried to sleep.

Sleep did not come for Zidane. Constantly in pain from the beating Kylima had given him earlier, he couldn't lay comfortably. His bound wrists made it difficult to reposition himself.

At length, with nothing else to do, Zidane began to sing. He had only gotten through a few consoling verses when the door to his dungeon opened. In the doorway stood the person Zidane had prayed fervently would have allowed him just a few hours' rest.

Kylima stood in the door, bearing a cruel smile and an even crueler iron collar. Zidane tried to roll over so that she wouldn't yank him up so harshly this time. Unfortunately, he couldn't move fast enough.

With one swift jerk, Kylima grabbed his tail and dragged him over to the door. Being as quiet as a mouse, he sat still as she placed the collar around his throat. She gave it one stiff tug and pulled Zidane forward ruthlessly. Zidane followed without complaint.

She dragged him into a large room; it was dank and dimly lit with torches. A crowd, dirty, angry, jeering, and sadistic, moved out of the way in time for Kylima to lead Zidane towards the center of the room.

Once in the center, she let him drop the ground in exhaustion. He clung to the cold floor pathetically. Kylima took one of his wrists and bound it tightly. _Why isn't she binding both of my wrists?_

She tossed the rope to a guard before moving to his other wrist. She bound it and then tossed the rope to the guard on the other side of the room. Then Zidane knew. She only allowed him a few seconds' rest before giving the guards the cue to pull.

Pull they did. They pulled him very taut, so taut that he was quite literally lifted off the ground. Once bound in this painful position, Kylima walked around him. She motioned for the guards to tie the rope to the little rings set in the wall on opposite sides of the room.

She walked in front of him. Zidane, with no strength or will to struggle, merely looked her in the eyes. She smiled a cruel, sadistic smile not unlike Cyra's.

"Do you know why I dragged you down here?" Kylima asked. Zidane could hardly breathe in the position he was in, but he forced himself to speak.

"Because of Kalika?" he asked, "Am I being prepared for the wedding ceremony?" Kylima looked thoughtful.

"Well, I suppose that too. But the reason you're in _this_ room right _now_ is because of them." She pointed to the angry throng surrounding them. "They want a reason _why_ their queen is dead."

She smiled as Zidane looked helplessly into the crowd, desperately looking for a friendly face. There were none.

"Now, while it was Malica who killed Cyra, and not you, it was your fault. She wouldn't have done so if it weren't for you." She leaned in close. "But we can't exactly pull Malica down here, now can we?"

"But what will you do with me?" he asked softly. Kylima removed the collar, which made breathing just a little easier. "Since we can't kill you," Kylima whispered against his ear, "We're going to make you wish you _were_ dead."

All hope vanished. Zidane could only now stare as Kylima moved out of his line of vision to retrieve something. Unable to control it, Zidane spoke quietly.

"But haven't I suffered enough? Cyra _did_ kill me…" Kylima turned and charged straight up to him, so close he could feel her cold breath upon his skin. "Not good enough." she whispered in a sickly sweet voice. She placed her hands upon his chest and ripped his shirt, tearing it off his chest. He hung now, with a new sense of humiliation.

Zidane shuddered as she held up a whip. She walked around behind him and stared at his already injured back for a moment. She smiled.

The whip _hurt_. Zidane counted 24 strikes before he lost consciousness. The soothing darkness let him forget about the pain for just a little bit before he was hauled back into the torturous world of awareness.

Wearily, he opened his eyes, just in time to see to his surprise, Dagger at the edge of the crowd. At first, he thought he was hallucinating. _Why would she be here?_ Despite the thought, he couldn't stop the tiny whisper that escaped his lips, "Dagger…" It was a soft, desperate plea.

However, the second the word escaped his lips, he regretted it. Kylima heard him. She followed his gaze to Dagger. So did the rest of the crowd. Kylima turned towards Dagger and began to walk towards her.

"And how did a fair maiden like you find yourself down here?" Dagger looked slightly intimidated by the pressing crowd. "Please," she whispered, "What are you doing to him?" The sickly sweet tone of voice disappeared. "What does it look like we're doing to him?" she asked, growling. Dagger shivered. "Please….Cyra already killed him. He doesn't deserve this." From across the room, Zidane met and kept her eye contact. He pleaded with her silently to leave. He really didn't want her to have to watch this.

Dagger stared at him and shook her head. Somehow it was comforting to know she wasn't about to leave him.

Kylima, however, wasn't impressed. "Blindfold him," she said. Dagger leaned forward as Kylima returned to him. She heartlessly caressed the side of his face with the back of her hand. "Please…" he pleaded meekly, "I thirst."

Kylima turned to the crowd. "Shall I get him some water?" taunts and angry cries met her ears. She turned back to Zidane. "Oh, now," she said, still softly stroking Zidane's cheek, "He's been so quiet and submissive." Zidane flinched from her touch instinctively. Still, the collective cry of "He doesn't deserve it! Let him die of thirst!" met her ears. She smiled. "Silence," she commanded to the crowd. They quieted.

Kylima turned back to Zidane. "I'm thirsty too," she said in a spiteful voice. She lifted his drooping head and stared into his blindfolded features for a moment. "I'll let you have the water," she whispered, "If you give me your blood."

Zidane heard Dagger gasp. He was _terribly_ thirsty though. He lifted his head to bear his throat to Kylima's teeth. He felt her cold breath upon his neck and tried to resist the urge to shudder.

It was a soft prick at first, just the tiniest of touches. The tiny prick grew to an unbearable hurt, throbbing, aching and stinging all at once. Zidane gave himself over to the urge to scream. Kylima slipped her cold fingers around the back of Zidane's neck, holding him still.

_Finally_ she let go of him. He fell limply against his bonds, hardly conscious, unable to do much else.

Dagger pushed past the crowd and ran to Zidane's side. She touched his face tenderly, stroking it back and forth. Zidane flinched away from her. "Please…" he pleaded intensely, "please don't do that to me again." Dagger stroked his face lightly. "It's me," she whispered. "Dagger?" Zidane asked, struggling slightly against his bonds to reach her. She leaned forward to touch his face. "It's me," she whispered again.

"Water," he choked faintly. "Please…" Dagger turned to Kylima. "You promised him water," she whispered.

"They don't want him to have water, and so he shan't." Dagger felt Zidane fall back against his bonds in quiet distress. "Please," she pleaded, "He's dying of thirst…" Kylima laughed. "Then let him die!" She nodded to a guard who pulled Dagger back and away from Zidane. Dagger, in her horror of seeing Zidane treated in such a manner, couldn't resist.

Dagger watched as the blindfolded genome was beaten, cruelly. Once Kylima was done with that, she cut him down and kicked him. The entire crowd began to attack him, fiercely and without end, cruelly and sadistically. Dagger could hear him crying out softly, his pained gasps and whimpers more than she could stand. She struggled against the burly guard; however, he held her tightly.

At length, as she caught brief and tiny catches of Zidane in the angry crowd, Kylima spoke again. "Stop!" she said, and they stopped. The crowd pulled back. Dagger gasped.

Zidane was lying on the ground, his blood flowing profusely. He lay very still; Dagger feared he had died in the assault. Kylima walked around him for a moment before pulling out another rope. She bound his ankles together, letting the excess rope trail out of the cruelly tight knot she had pulled. As Dagger leaned in closer, she could just see Zidane's chest heaving a little. _How did he survive that?_

In one swift moment, Kylima lifted the rope to a small ring attached to the ceiling and pulled it through, thus pulling Zidane into another hanging position, only this time upside-down. Dagger struggled yet again as Kylima bound his wrists tightly, and then drew the remaining rope from his bound wrists up to his ankles, tying him so that his upper-body curled back in a most _painful_ way. He whimpered softly; Kylima paid no attention.

Moving around back of him, she picked up his tail in one hand. Again, he whimpered pleadingly as from her belt, she pulled a knife and laid the blade upon his delicate tail. Before she broke his skin, she whispered one phrase: "Gag him."

Once gagged, the knife was laid upon his tail. Kylima caressed his skin with it with the softness of a lover's touch. Kylima smiled before beckoning to one of the guards. She whispered something in his ear, something that none of them in the room could make out, before turning back to Zidane.

A few seconds later, the guard left and returned with a bowl. Kylima nodded. Dagger couldn't imagine it was something desirable for Zidane.

Dipping the blade of the knife into the bowl, she again lifted it to his tail. She pulled it across slowly, savoring Zidane's muffled screams. She lifted the blade, dipped it in the bowl once more before laying it upon his tail and pulling slowly, just like the first time.

At length, she cut him down. "Take him to the room that has been prepared for him," she said. The guards lifted the bruised and bleeding genome off the ground and dragged him off.

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AN/ ;; poor Zidane…I promise I'll upload more. I really do! No! Don't throw rotten tomatoes at me! 


	3. Vampire's Daughter

I know this chapter isn't very long…so I'll put up two chapters. . Everyone happy?

**Crimson Cobwebs—**No! Not the tomatoes! Anything but that! LOL And don't you worry…there's plenty of gore in this story…and it gets worse. 0.o

**SakuraRibbons—**No, Not you too! I hate rotten tomatoes! I updated! I updated!

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Zidane was dragged into a small room, dark and cold. He was forced to lie down upon a table. In too much pain to resist them, he willingly stretched out his arms to be bound. They turned him so that he was face up upon the table. They bound his wrists tightly, stretching him taut across the table. They left, slammed the door shut. 

Zidane tried to relax as best as he could. Before long, whether it was from exhaustion or from pain, Zidane fell into the depths of unconsciousness.

I0I0I0I0I

"So I may visit him now?" Kalika asked Kylima. "Are you finished with him?" Kylima nodded. "I think we have either broken him tonight, or are on our way to breaking him. You may visit your slave."

Kalika slipped off silently.

She walked down the halls until she found his cell. With callous indifference, she unlocked the door and slipped inside. Placing a torch in the torch holder upon the wall, she looked down at the genome her mother had promised her. He was bruised and bleeding all over; he was also unconscious. Breathing shallowly and labored, he was bound _very_ tautly. Kalika smiled quietly as she moved forward.

"I remember you," she whispered to the unconscious genome, looking him up and down decisively. "Mother used to bring you to me and tell me that I was going to inherit you one day," she said, looking down at him. Even in sleep, a look of distress crossed his face. "Mother taught me to suck one's blood without killing them, you know," she said quietly. "Time to try," she whispered, laying her fangs upon his fragile throat. _Find the pulse first,_ she remembered, and then laid her teeth upon his pulse. It was slow and gentle at first, but then began to accelerate. He was waking. She began to lay pressure upon his throat. _Find your favorite grip next,_ she remembered, before placing her teeth with a death grip upon Zidane's throat. He was awake now, tense and very afraid, for he was blindfolded. A quiet, pleading whimper escaped his lips. _Do not suck immediately unless you want the victim dead. A fast, quick sucking action combined with the shock of being gripped on the throat by someone's teeth will assuredly send the victim into cardiac arrest, which is a nice way to kill them if you wish. However, _Kalika remembered her mother telling her, _if your intent is to humiliate and injure your victim, simply grip his throat for a minute or two before sucking._ Kalika let him hang there, terrified. She then bit down hard upon him, sucking hard and fast. The pained whimper, groan, and then screams of her slave were encouragement enough. Finally, in one last paroxysm, she let him go. He fell back against the table he was bound to.

For a fleeting moment, Kalika stared at him, wondering what had possessed her to do that. _He hardly has enough blood as it is…_ she though, allowing a tender feel to wash over her for a moment, watching a rivulet of blood trickled down his throat as he panted for breath, choking and gasping, convulsing somewhat against his bonds. Allowing the feeling to drive her, she leaned forward and released him from his bonds, rolling him over and gently rubbing his back. "It's alright," she whispered softly, "It's going to be alright."

She waited until he fell unconscious before tying him back into place, but allowing him a little more slack than he had been given before.

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AN/ Poor poor Zidane….;; But don't worry….EVENTUALLY all will be okay… 


	4. Given to his Lover

_One week later_

Kalika once more ventured down to Zidane's cell, just to reaffirm the commitment she had made to her mother. _I'm not going to let _that _happen again!_ She screamed to herself, _I won't let him get to me. He isn't worthy of my affection, nor is he worthy of the wretched life he is living. He deserves to die!_ She screamed inwardly.

She threw open the door to Zidane's cell.

The genome had been left untouched, helplessly entangled in his bonds, breathing harshly and labored. He was blindfolded and gagged, and was in a very critical condition. Kalika knew that if he didn't get medical attention quickly, he'd die.

She actually smiled at that fact, watching as Zidane struggled for each shallow breath, fighting against the tautness in his chest to get the life-giving oxygen to his exhausted lungs.

The table he was bound to was slick with his blood. His wrists were bleeding, as well as his untended back, and many other open wounds added to the scarlet shirt he wore.

"Please…" he cried. It made Kalika jump. She thought he had been unconscious. She stared at him for a moment, confusion slipping over her normally cold expression. Grabbing the tiniest bit of rationale she could, she shouted, "Guard? Bring him to my quarters." She decided she'd deal with him there.

I0I0I0I0I

Lying upon her bed, in a long flowing white silk night gown, Kalika waited for her prize. Her bed covers and sheets were scarlet, made from only the best quality satin. She had up sheer curtains around her bed. She basked in her royal luxury for a moment, enjoying the feeling of being in control of all.

The door opened.

Just as she had asked, Zidane was brought in, bound, gagged, and blindfolded, thrown to the ground at the foot of her bed. She gazed at him for a moment, a cruel smile flickering across her face for a moment. _He's mine…_ she thought, _and he knows it._

Kalika pulled back the sheers for a moment, staring down into the helpless genome's face. Vulnerable because of the blindfold, he said nothing; though she knew he sensed her presence.

"Why hello there," she whispered in a patronizing voice, leaning forward and touching his ear with her lips before adding, "my love." She felt him quiver in fear. She smiled in satisfaction. "Why do you quake, my love?" she asked, touching the back of his neck. He said nothing, merely whimpered his response. "I want an answer," she said, only without the patronizing voice. It sounded more like a threat to Zidane. "Oh, that's right," she whispered, once more in that overwhelming, patronizing voice. Zidane felt the gag being removed. He fell into desperate gasps, for he had been deprived of sucking a deep breath for so _very_ long.

She let him lay on the ground for a moment before hauling him up by his throat. She stared at him for a moment. "Why do you quake, my love?" she asked once more.

"Please…Your Highness…I am afraid," he whispered between desperate gasps for breath. "And why on _earth_ would you be afraid?" at that, Zidane turned away in fear. She growled, throwing him to the ground where he stayed, motionless.

She stared at him for a moment, before hauling back to kick him. She kicked him _very_ hard, so hard that he rolled over in pain, his mouth open, but no cry escaping his lips. But for some reason, Kalika paused.

He was so helpless, so quiet. He said nothing as she drew back again, though she knew he sensed it coming. She kicked him again. Falling into a fit of coughing, the genome coughed up blood…a lot of blood. Kalika pulled off of him for a moment, simply watching him cough terribly, neither falling to his side in pure compassion nor laughing sadistically.

She merely watched him coldly, as if watching as a bird eats seed. She regarded him coolly before walking away to sit upon her bed.

At length, Zidane's coughing ceased.

"Please…Your Highness….what do you want from me?" he asked in such a pleading tone that Kalika was _almost _moved to pity.

Almost.

She slipped over to his side. Into his ear she whispered, "Your spirit." Zidane sighed. "You want to break me, don't you?" Kalika gave herself over to chuckle softly. "I want you broken before I kill you…I want you to see how hopeless it really is before I have you executed."

With nothing else to ask, "How shall I die?" Kalika smiled, and then laughed. Zidane cringed at her laughter. She leaned forward, her moist lips tickling his ear. "Slowly and painfully, to say the least. It's what mother would have wanted."

"May I have one request?" Kalika snorted. "Why should I give _you_ a request?" she asked indifferently. "Please…" was Zidane's only reply.

"Go on." Kalika growled.

"May I spend one night with Dagger before you kill me?" She growled audibly. He flinched as if she had bitten him. "Please, it's all I ask for…_please…_"

"Fine," Kalika whispered. "One night."

"Guard?" she asked, "Take him to Queen Garnet's quarters. Bind him, blindfold him. Treat him like he is her slave. Is that clear?" The guard nodded before grabbing Zidane by his bound wrists and carrying him off.

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AN/ Awww…one last night with his lover….sniffles 


	5. Possessed

Alright! Here's the next chapter. Thank you so much for reviewing! You know I love you people….. LOL

Be fore-warned…the reunion between the lovers isn't exactly…romantic. **Sniffles** But don't fear! It won't last forever.

**And in your next reviews…I'd like what you think will happen next.** Please? I want to see if I'm writing this right…and I don't mean within this chapter…I mean the **_WHOLE_** story, 'kay? Pretty pretty please?

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Dagger, who was preparing for bed, was not expecting a knock on her quarters. Her eyes, red and swollen from the tears she had cried for Zidane's sake, and her condition made her want to yell, "Go away!" at whomever was at the door. She didn't want to be seen, but at the same time, she was a guest here. In a quiet, broken voice she whispered, "Come in." The door opened…

…And the person she thought was long dead fell through into her room.

_Zidane!_

He was in terrible condition as the impatient guards kicked him forward. He hit the ground. Dagger, unable to contain herself, rushed to his side. Before she touched him, the guard stopped her by placing a sword between Zidane and herself.

"You must agree to the terms first," the guard said, "He is not to be unbound at any time. His blindfold _will_ not come off. And above all," the guard said, picking up the sword and placing it upon Zidane's heaving chest to ensure that Dagger heard him, "He stays in this room. He will not venture _from_ this room. Is that clear?"

Dagger nodded. To her relief, the guard nodded and then left. Dagger leaned forward to touch Zidane's face.

When he was dragged into the room, Dagger had thought at first that he was dead. As she touched his cheek, even though it was slightly cold, she could feel life in it. He roused; a soft whimper in his throat. "Dagger?"

It was a plea… a desperate plea. In response, Dagger laid her lips upon his and gave him a tender kiss. "Yes, it's me," she whispered. She pulled him into her arms; she felt him relax slightly.

Dagger suddenly had an intense urge to pull the blindfold off. She wanted to see his deep azure-emerald eyes, to reach into his soul with one look.

She stood up to get a drink of water for him. As she walked over to where the water was kept, someone attacked her.

Or some_thing_. She fell unconscious to the ground for a moment.

When she finally became conscious, she realized that she could move at all. But somehow she _was_ moving. The realization dawned on her. _Something's controlling me!_

Dagger was pushed back to the cobwebs of her mind, helpless to do anything, wondering what this _entity _wanted. She could sense it; it was cruel and malicious, spiteful and sadistic. What it wanted, she couldn't tell…

…Until it reached Zidane. He was lying, peacefully, upon the ground. A strong urge to hurt him swept over Dagger. Unable to control it, her hand shot out and grabbed Zidane by the throat.

Dagger fought against it, throwing herself against the entity that was controlling her. _No!_ she screamed inwardly, _don't do this to him!_ As she lifted Zidane by the throat, she could _feel_ him struggling for breath, and found she could even read his thoughts.

_Dagger?_ he pleaded, _Dagger! Help me, _please The pain was intensifying. Dagger couldn't stand it.

I0I0I0I0I

"Why do you struggle? It'll hurt you less if you don't struggle…" It was Dagger's voice, but not Dagger. He was choking, struggling only because of the pain he was in. Suddenly, the grasp on his throat was released and he was thrown to the ground. He hit the ground hard; his blindfold was removed.

Indeed, it was Dagger. For a moment, he thought that someone else was in the room, in fact, he had fervently prayed someone was holding her at gunpoint to say what she had said, and to do what she had done.

Alas, no one but her. She bore a ruthless look on her face. Zidane, despite himself, trembled. "Dagger?" he whispered softly.

"Silence!" she growled, slapping him so hard across the face that Zidane could feel the bruise forming. A soft, gentle whimper escaped his lips. _No, not my gentle Dagger…_ he pleaded inwardly, _not her…she can't be this cruel…_

_…can she?_ The next blow answered his question. It knocked him against the wall hard and left him struggling for consciousness. In his weakness, she hauled him up and threw him against the bed. She pressed him flat, chest down, against the fluffy, royal blue covers. He whimpered softly.

I0I0I0I0I

Involuntarily, from her belt, Dagger drew the knife. "You told me once that you liked me touching your tail…" she said in a voice she didn't recognize, one distorted with sadistic pleasure, "let's see how you enjoy it now."

She caressed his tail for a moment, sensing the entity enjoying the quaking that Zidane gave, and hating every moment of it. She drew the blade.

Zidane's scream nearly killed her. The denial in his thoughts, the desperate _not my Dagger_ … and then the related cries of pain that he gave out were just too much for her. She sighed inwardly, and gave up, relaxing against the mental chains that held her down. Quietly, gingerly, she pleaded with the entity that held her.

_Please…let him go. He doesn't deserve that…_

Laughter. Sadistic, cruel, _heartless_ laughter.

_Please! He doesn't deserve it! Let him go! _Again, more laughter. Dagger, in too much emotional distress to struggle, simply allowed the mental tears to fall down her cheeks. _What else can I offer you except me?_

The entity paused in her assault of Zidane. _You would give me your life in exchange for his? You are aware that he is to die after his marriage to Kalika, correct? Why waste your life like that?_

_Because I love him. He's already died for me once; already given me more than I could ever hope to give him in return. Please! _she pleaded, _you have me. Let him go!_

_No._

The laughter was excruciating. Dagger fell limply against her bonds, in her own prison. She could see everything that happened, and she could feel everything that happened as well. She could feel the knife in her hands…she could feel Zidane quavering in her grasp…

…It was too much for her to take. She glanced down at Zidane, who stared up at her, the betrayal in his eyes. _Why are you doing this to me?_ he pleaded. Dagger could hear him.

To Dagger's surprise, the entity allowed her control of her hands for a moment. Taking advantage of it, she reached forward and touched Zidane's face. Control was taken harshly.

The entity pulled Dagger's fingernails across Zidane's cheek, leaving distinct gashes across his soft cheek. _No! _Dagger screamed, _no…_

Zidane cried out, and again, looked into Dagger's eyes, with the look of _why are you doing this to me?_ Nothing but raucously cruel laughter met Zidane's ears.

I0I0I0I0I

_Please Dagger…_Zidane pleaded inwardly, _why are you doing this to me? Do you hate me that much? _He hung his head as the sting of the gashes on his cheek slowly began to die down. He looked up into her eyes once more, her deep russet eyes conveying the deep truth: she was enjoying this.

Distressed, broken, and helpless, he fell back limply. There was nothing else he could do.

Dagger lifted him up cruelly and began to drag him down to that large room again. She met Kylima along the way. "Tonight," Dagger whispered. Zidane was in too much shock to understand what she meant. He didn't struggle or do much of anything because of the pain.

Once dragged into that large, cold, damp room, he was lifted and hung by his wrists, helpless. He quavered.

"Oh, he's cold," Dagger whispered with a painful look of maliciousness on her face. Oh, the ice in that voice; the pleasure and patronizing air. Dagger's tender nature was gone. All that was left was cruelty.

Dagger laid her hand, icy cold, upon Zidane's wounded chest. Zidane closed his eyes and flinched, moving away from her touch. She placed her hand beneath his chin, sensing his pain and humiliation.

"Shall I call them in?" Kylima asked. Dagger nodded. Before Zidane could even lift his head, the angry crowd from before appeared in the room again. Dagger looked on indignantly. With angry shouts and jeers the crowd had to be restrained. Kylima smiled.

"Blindfold him, will you?" Kylima whispered in Dagger's ear. She nodded with something of a sparkle in her eye. She turned in front of Zidane. "No, please…" _Even if you are enjoying this, _he thought desperately, _at least let me see your face._

Dagger's russet eyes took on a look of compassion for a moment. She gave him a soft, tender smile…

…before slapping him. One hard slap, and then she blindfolded him. She laughed cruelly. Zidane turned away. The brutal sound of malicious laughter, emanating from the one he loved more than life itself, was just too much for his already broken heart to bear.

Little did he know that Dagger was hurting just as much as he was. She was trapped, helpless, forced to watch Zidane be tortured in such a manner. She screamed to the entity holding her back. _Don't do this to him! Please…_she cried, _let him go. He's going to die anyways…don't make it this painful for him._

The crowd jeered on as Kalika walked down to them. Kalika ignored the crowd, slipping close to Zidane's broken form. She pulled off the blindfold. "Dagger?" she asked. "Let me teach you an invaluable skill." Dagger walked forward, not of her own accord. Kalika touched Zidane's throat, running her hand down his throat, and then his chest, and finally resting upon his abdomen. She smiled. "I think I know where you're going," The entity said through Dagger, "Shall I try?" Kalika nodded.

_NO! _Dagger screamed inwardly, _No, please, anything but that…_

It was too late. The entity had already found a grip upon Zidane's throat. Dagger could feel his weak pulse beneath her teeth, the desperate gasps for air, the inaudible plea…

_Dagger no! Please, Dagger…not that…anything but that! _There was a silence for a moment. The entity began to suck. Nothing but a scream, both physical and mental, hit her ears. _So this is what it feels like,_ she thought desolately, _to have the life sucked right out of you._

Dagger could feel Zidane struggling to fill his lungs. With the death grip upon his throat, she couldn't imagine it was terribly easy for him. Since pleading with the entity wasn't doing anything, she mentally encouraged Zidane on. _Don't give up, my love,_ she whispered to him, _I know it hurts…I'm here for you._

For a moment, the pain coming from Zidane died down a bit. _Zidane?_ She asked, pressing herself as close as she could get to him. She could feel his spirit lifting again. _Zidane? Zidane, can you hear me?_

There was an unbearable silence for a moment, and then, _Dagger, is that really you?_

A pathway opened up, and Dagger was allowed passage over to Zidane's mind. She found him, bound, much the way he was on the outside, blindfolded and helpless.

"Dagger!" he screamed, writhing against his bonds, "Please, tell me it's really you…" Dagger walked towards him slowly, nervously, but when she reached him, she gently touched his face. She caressed his cheek with the back of her hand, before pulling off the blindfold. His eyes remained unfocused for a minute, before concentrating on her. "Dagger?" he whispered, staring into her eyes. Dagger realized that tears were streaming down her cheeks as she leaned forward to touch his chaffing wrists. "Is it really you? Do you…" he hesitated, but ultimately continued, "…care? Are you the person I love?"

Dagger hugged him. If he wasn't bound, Dagger was sure he would have hugged her back. She could feel him struggling, and then relaxing. "It is you!" he cried, barely above a whisper, "You came back for me…" Dagger squeezed him slightly. "Of course I came back for you," she leaned back and kissed him, gently. "I love you, Zidane." She whispered, when she had pulled back from the kiss. She pulled her fingers through his dirty blonde hair for a moment, smiling as he sighed softly.

"If you don't mind my asking," he whispered meekly, "what happened?" Dagger kissed his forehead tenderly. "I'm being held by something. It won't let me do anything…"

Zidane nodded softly. "That's what I had hoped. I hoped that you hadn't…that you weren't…" Soft tears formed at Zidane's eyes. He turned away, but was relieved to feel Dagger's hand gently cup his face. "I know," she whispered, "I know…hush…I'm here for you. I won't let you go." She held him in a warm hug for a minute or two before whispering, "I have to go back now," she said, until she noticed the utter heartbreak in Zidane's eyes, "We can still talk, though. You know that!" He nodded, sadly, and it broke Dagger heart when she arrived back in her own prison.

_Have I left him alone to die?_ She asked herself, desolately. She looked out, in time to see him limp against his bonds. She could just see the tiny tears he had cried inside, falling down his cheeks. _Oh, Zidane…_ she thought, _Oh, Zidane…_

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AN/ So what do YOU think will happen next? Please let me know in your reviews, and don't forget to tell me what you think **SHOULD** happen. MANY MANY **THANX** TO ALL OF YOU FAITHFUL REVIEWERS! 


	6. Woeful Wedding, pt 1

Thanx much for all of your reviews! Here's chapter 6.

Its short, I know, so I'll try to update again later on…perhaps even tonight. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR REVIEWS!

"Kill him!" the crowd yelled. Kalika stepped between Zidane and the angry crowd. "Not yet," she said, nodding to one of the guards. The guard handed her an iron rod. She held it, savoring its weight. She lifted Zidane's drooping head. He coughed back a desperate whimper.

She cut him down, and once helpless on the ground, she struck his arm. A scream of pure agony wrenched itself from Zidane. Kalika panted for a moment before striking his arm again.

Again and again she struck, until finally, Zidane's arm was broken. With one final shriek of pain, he fell back against the cold ground. _Is it over, Dagger?_ he pleaded with her, _Please tell me she's done…_

He only felt distress from her. _Zidane, I…._he felt her struggling against the burden she had towards him. He mentally kicked himself. _Oh, my precious Dagger…_ he thought to her, _Let go of it. Hush…there's nothing you can do…_ he felt her relax slightly.

"Now the other arm," said a cruel voice. Kylima stood over him, a cool, businesslike expression on her face. She lifted the rod, and laid it upon Zidane's other arm, letting him feel the cold of the rod, before lifting it and bringing it down hard upon him. He screamed, his throat raw from his cries.

Once his other arm was broken, the guards lifted him up, bound his wrists and tied him back in place.

There were no words to describe Zidane's agony. Dagger was screaming inside her mind for them to let him go. The agony was so much that, Zidane couldn't even cry out. He merely hung there, desperately panting. Before long, the pain drove him to lose consciousness.

"Now's our chance!" Kalika cried, "Tonight we wed." she said in a dark voice. Raucous laughter erupted from the crowd. Cruelly, sadistically, they lifted Zidane up and out.

Dagger was taken back to her quarters, and once there, the entity released her. Relieved to be her again, she lay down upon her bed, but then burst into tears. "Oh, Zidane!" she screamed to the walls, "What are they doing to you out there?"

AN/ Awwww….how sad, eh? Well, for all of you GORE LOVERS…..there's a lot more gore in the next chapter. BE HAPPY! LOL


	7. Woeful Wedding, pt 2

Here's the next chapter…

And I'm glad all of you Gore Lovers---(I'll call you GL from now on ) are having fun. XD LOL

KalmeKalica

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Within the room they had dragged Zidane into, they began the terrible work of preparing him for the wedding. They stripped him, shackled him, and brought a collar around his neck. The brutes bound his wrists behind his back, knowing full well that when he awoke, the agony would nearly kill him. He was laid upon a table; Kylima was called to inspect him.

She lifted his tail and held it there for a moment, before looking up and asking, "Should we cut it off?" A look of pure cruelty passed over her features at that thought.

To her dismay, the guard shook his head. "No, Kalika wanted his tail." Kylima growled. "He's ready then," she said, "let's wake him."

As Zidane awoke, a scream of pain echoed through the room. "Silence!" Kylima screamed, gagging him the instant she heard his desperate cry. "Take him out to the court. Kalika is ready for him."

The guards spitefully grabbed him by his broken arms and dragged him off. Even though the gag, his scream was still very audible.

I0I0I0I0I

Kalika stood out in front of the crowd, impatient and wide-eyed. _I want him here so I can kill him!_ She called over a guard. In his ear, she whispered, "I want Queen Garnet out here, _now_!"

Within a few minutes, Garnet was brought out, and with Garnet, so was Zidane. One must have thought it heartbreaking to watch her, struggling against the guard who was escorting her, all just to get a better look at Zidane.

Zidane didn't look good. He was bruised and bleeding all over and he looked to be in _terrible_ pain. Kalika watched coolly as he was thrown at her feet. She knelt down beside him, even as he was too scared to move, hardly breathing in the pain he was in. She touched his back, hesitantly; Zidane flinched.

Kalika lifted Zidane up by his bound wrists, before finding a grip upon his collar. She stared him in the face; her ice-cold stare shot through Zidane's soul. He knew he had no defense against her; he was hers, and there wasn't a single thing he could do about it. Quietly, softly, Zidane hung his head.

Kalika set him so that he was hanging by his bound wrists. Once more, the pain was too much for Zidane to take, and he began to lose consciousness.

From her belt, Kylima pulled a small needle. She walked up to Kalika and handed her the needle. Kalika nodded her gratitude, before plunging the needle into Zidane's throat. His eyes shot open. Leaning in close to Zidane ear, she whispered, "Let's not try that again, eh?" He merely whimpered; a whimper so entirely submissive that Dagger couldn't believe they were doing this to him.

Kalika lifted a whip, and placed it against his chest, so he could feel it as well as see it. Zidane turned away, whimpering and struggling for breath.

She beat him, long into the day. When she was done beating him, the day was half over. Strangely enough, a cloud hung in the air; it was very dark.

She cut him down and then bound him to a table, smiling as she stretched his arms out. He didn't struggle; he didn't yell at her to stop; he didn't even scream. He was laid chest down, upon the table, bound, and then gagged, and left in anguish for a few minutes. Kalika retrieved something; Dagger couldn't quite see it at first.

But Zidane knew what it was. It was something Cyra used to do with him once or twice a week, just to toy with him, to set him in brutal agony for the long, cold nights in his dungeon.

The weapons didn't look like much; just little metal thorns. Zidane closed his eyes, terrified. Kalika lifted his tail. She caressed it for a moment; Zidane went completely tense. The tiny thorn, no longer than Dagger's fingernail, was then pushed into the tip of Zidane's tail. Small drops of blood flowed down and hit the table below. A soft whimper emanated from Zidane's raw throat.

Kalika placed many more of those cruel thorns into his tail, so many that his precious tail was bleeding all over. Kalika picked up his tail, which was so littered with thorns that she couldn't touch his tail without touching a thorn.

With one brutally cruel smile, she squeezed his tail, driving the thorns in even deeper. The entire table was crimson with Zidane's blood; Dagger watched in horror as the blood began to drip off the table. In the flood of scarlet, she noticed that he said nothing through the entire ordeal; nothing but the tiniest of whimpers escaped his throat.

Kalika continued pressing those thorns into his tail, until every inch of it was enveloped in those cruel thorns. At length, she lifted his tail (paying no heed to his pain and freely squeezing it, just to make him suffer) and placed a small bowl underneath. She squeezed his tail, as if wringing out a wet garment. It had the same effect for his blood flowed easily down into the bowl.

The bowl was handed to Dagger. "Drink it," Kalika whispered. Unable to move, Dagger looked past Kalika to Zidane, who was lying so quietly against the table, saying nothing. His tail was soaked with his blood, as was the table. Kalika growled. "Drink it, or I will," she smiled softly, "and I'll make Zidane suffer for it."

_Don't think about it,_ Dagger told herself, _Just do it. One sip, that's all you need do._

Dagger raised the bowl to her lips, shaking slightly. She forced herself to drink it, and at the same time, the thought registered. _If Zidane is dying for me, then this is his gift to me. His blood._

Dagger handed the bowl back to Kalika. She turned and walked away, a look of pure hatred on her face. _At least she didn't make me drink it all,_ Dagger thought, trying not to vomit.

She watched as Kalika began to pull out the thorns, taking her time, and allowing a few of them to cut him deeply as she pulled them out.

By the time she had all of them out, Zidane had lost enough blood that he needed medical attention if he was to make it to his execution. "Guard?" Kalika yelled to one of them, "Take him down. Get him so that he isn't dying like this. I need him alive for his execution! Oh, and send Dagger back to Alexandria. Her purpose here is fulfilled."

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AN/ Awww…..poor Zidane….poor Dagger….it gets better, don't worry…for, the, like, normal people who don't love gore…..LOL 


	8. Kenneled for the Night

Just to let you know, I don't support the consumption of alcohol, but in this case alone… I do. LOL

Thank you for reading my fanfic! ALL of you! I love you guys so much!

KalmeKalica

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Taken down to the lowest, coldest, dirtiest dungeon cell, Zidane was thrown in and left there for a few minutes. A doctor (if she could be called that) came down to inspect him. She took a long look at his tail, and then gently handed the dying genome a small glass. "It's alcohol," she said, "Something to dull the pain and keep you alive for the next few days." She stayed with him as he drank it slowly and gratefully. "I'm sorry that this is all I can do for you right now. If I had my way, I'd take you to an infirmary and get you better, but…seeing as though I'm only here to get you healthy enough so that you don't die prematurely, there isn't much else I can do."

Zidane sighed softly. "Thank you," he whispered quietly.

The doctor was right; the alcohol did help. It dulled the pain to the point where Zidane could lay down and sleep. The doctor stayed with him, until he fell asleep. She left him in the cell, forcing herself to lock the door behind her.

_It is a shame,_ she thought quietly, _that such a beautiful creature like he is being executed in such a cruel manner._

I0I0I0I0I

Kylima went down to retrieve Zidane. He had been left alone for a good five hours; she hoped he hadn't died in that amount of time. She could only imagine Kalika's reaction if she learned that Zidane had died prematurely.

She opened the door to his cell. He was asleep; the doctor had given him a little taste of alcohol. She looked down upon him. The alcohol had had a definite healing property to it; Zidane was breathing easily; his tail wasn't bleeding so heavily any longer; and he was sleeping soundly.

Kylima lifted Zidane up and back into consciousness. He moaned softly, but didn't protest. Kylima whispered, "KalmeKalika wishes to see you." It was all she said. Zidane didn't struggle as he was brought up to Kalika's quarters, thrown in, and the door closed behind him.

He could see her, in all of her beauty, on her bed. He could only see her silhouette; for the sheers were still up. "Are you feeling better, my dear sweet Zidane?" Oh, the ice in that voice!

Zidane allowed himself to think. He was feeling better; however, the knowledge that he was to die within a few days was almost too much for him to bear. Yet if Kalika was anything like her mother, he needed to show his strongest side to her, lest she seek out and exploit his weakness.

"Yes, a little," he whispered. Kalika pulled back the sheers to look at him. She slowly rose from her bed, in a way not that foreign to a cat. She lazily walked over to Zidane, and knelt beside him. "How is your tail feeling?" she asked in that cruel, icy tone.

_Trap. Don't answer that one, Zidane! _Zidane stared at her, motionless for a moment. She reached behind him to get to his tail. He panicked, and jolted away from her. Fury flashed in her lavender eyes. She pushed him flat against the ground. "You've been surprisingly compliant up until now," she whispered against his ear, pressing him firmly against the ground. "Don't ruin it. You know how I get when you struggle," she warned.

"No, I don't." Truly, Zidane didn't. He had never been in this position with her before, so he really didn't know. She leaned in close to his ear. "Yes, you do. I'm not unlike my mother, Zidane." That thought sent a jolt of fear up his spine. "Yield to me, and I might find it in my heart to forgive you."

Zidane relaxed slightly, laying flat against the ground. He stayed as quiet as possible as Kalika lifted his tail. She didn't hurt him at all, she just let him hang there, terrified. She gently placed his tail down on the ground again. Zidane sighed in immense relief.

Kalika slipped into the back. Zidane stayed still, just as she had left him, flat against the floor, in too much terror to do much on anything else. When Kalika came back out, Zidane gasped softly. She wore a pure white night gown; it clung to her in all the right places, and showed off her perfectly shaped body. Zidane realized that he was panting softly, and stopped.

She lifted him up and shackled his wrists behind his back. "It's late," she said leading him over to the other side of the room, "and I need my rest." She placed a collar around his neck and chained him to the wall, a little too tightly. She didn't care. She went over to her bed, blew the candle out, and fell fast asleep.

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AN/ Awww…in the den of the lioness! R&R! I'll update another chapter too, so this isn't it for today! 


	9. Tender

Another chapter! And yes, a _**BRILLIANT**_ reviewer noticed that I, KalmeKalica, am indeed Kalika. Do you guys think I should write a back-story on Cyra, Malica, Kalika, etc.? If you do, please let me know in your reviews! Thank you all!

Enjoy this next chapter when Zidane sees a slightly sweeter side to this sadistic cat.

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Zidane was too cold to sleep. Though he tried to resist it, he couldn't stop himself from shaking. The shaking made his chains rattle a bit; Zidane knew if this kept up he'd wake Kalika, and surely she wouldn't have the mercy to do anything about it, save, perhaps, throwing him down to the dungeon to be tortured by Kylima. He was fortunate to be here, despite the cold, Kalika's quarters were dry and at the very least comforting. 

He was shaking to the point where he would have done anything for a blanket or something. It was so _cold_! The frigid air against his skin made him quiver even more so, and the cold shackles and collar didn't help much either.

Then his worst nightmare came true. He heard Kalika rouse. He watched in horror as she drew back the sheers. He closed his eyes and dropped his head, trying to take up the pretense of sleep, or at the very least, unconsciousness.

It was too late. She was standing in front of him; he looked up slowly. She bore that all too familiar cold expression. _She's going to kill me now, isn't she?_ he thought desperately. _She's going to send me down to the dungeon and let Kylima torture me to death._

It caught him by surprise when the tension on his neck was released. He fell forward. He could feel her pick up the chain and wrap it around her hand. She gave it a light tug.

That surprised Zidane. If she wanted him up, she would have yanked the chain, throwing him forward and then yelled at him because of his slowness, but as he slowly rose to his feet, the thought struck him: _No, that's what Cyra would have done._ She placed her hand in the small of his back to encourage him forward. He walked forward, despite the fear he was suffering.

_What does she want with me? Is she taking me out to have me killed? I don't smell smoke; there aren't torches lit for my execution. Perhaps she'll just leave me outside and let the animals kill me. I sure smell like death._

_Where is she taking me?_ he asked no one, merely watching as Kalika brought him out to a large room. It had a fireplace in the center, but the fire was dead, nothing but small embers still alive. "Lie down on the couch." Kalika ordered. Zidane did so. She blindfolded him. Terror overtook him. _Oh no! _he prayed, _Please, don't do that to me…._

Horror stories about queens taking their slaves out like this in the middle of the night swarmed around Zidane's head. Stories of rape, torture, and sadism…he closed his eyes, even though he had on a blindfold. There was no point in struggling; if he did, she'd just have him tortured and then have her way with him.

It had been a few minutes since Kalika had said anything to him, so it really made him flinch when he felt her touch his arm. _Here we go…_he thought,_ tonight is the night._

"Sit up." she commanded. Zidane sat up, too terrified to resist her. He felt her swing her leg around him, so that she was sitting behind him, in almost a comforting manner.

She ran her fingers down Zidane's lips, as if savoring their dryness. All at once, she brought something to his parched lips; it was a glass! It was filled with cold water. Zidane drank eagerly. Slowly, from exhaustion, Zidane pulled back.

Kalika didn't say anything. She merely encouraged him up and then took him back to her quarters. Once there, she set him back where he was before, but she didn't chain him to the wall this time. She pulled off the blindfold. She let him be.

Again, almost as soon as she lay down to sleep, she could hear him shivering again. A feel of anger passed over her. _How dare he! After all I've done for him…._she growled audibly. She felt him shrink back in fear, still quaking. _He's cold. He can't help it! Why do I do this to him?_ From her angle, she could see every stripe on his back, she could see his still bleeding tail, and she could see his broken arms and the cruel shackles that held his arms back in a most painful manner.

_And yet…_ she thought, softly, _he says nothing. _The realization was painful. _He's given up hope. He's given up his life to me. He's ready to die._ Still keeping her cruel demeanor, she yelled at him.

"Come!" she called. Nothing happened. _Is he just afraid?_ Kalika grew slightly angry. "Zidane, come here, _now._" There was a soft rustle, the slight clanking of his chains, but he came to her. She pulled back the sheers. "Lie down on the bed." she said, and Zidane obeyed her. She sensed, however, that he was mortally terrified to do this. She knew, at the very least, that it was warmer within the sheers because of her own body heat. She also knew that Zidane was very cold, and very vulnerable. She absent-mindedly began to stroke his face, and from his face moved down to his chest where she came to rest.

"Why don't you whimper, Zidane? I know you're afraid," she whispered, harshly, though she felt simply the opposite. She felt Zidane tense upall over his body; she instantly regretted using the harsh tone of voice.

"Please, have mercy…I beg of you…" he whispered softly. Kalika touched his face again, and whispered softly, "It's alright. Hush…my love…calm down then." She felt him relax slightly. She had meant it—she wasn't patronizing him.

She gave the chain to his collar a soft pull. He sat up unquestioningly. With a tenderness she had never known she was capable of, she gentle pulled off the collar. She unshackled him, as well, letting him relax against her.

"Lie down." It was a command—it wasn't an idea for him. He lay down, quietly, obediently. Before he even knew what happened, Kalika had managed to slip him under the warm covers. Softly and gently, she ran her hand along his neck. "Sleep." Again, it was a command and not a request.

She sensed he was too terrified to sleep; after all, would a lamb fall asleep in hungry lions' den? Taking a deep breath, she laid still behind him, calmly slowing her breath down until she was asleep. _I'll make it a little easier for him._

Zidane wasn't about to leave the warm sanctuary she had provided for him. As soon as he sensed she was asleep, he too fell into the dark world of unconsciousness.

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AN/ I'm sorry my chapters are getting shorter, seriously, but I'm still trying to update as many chapters as I can at once. THANK YOU ALL FOR READING AND REVIEWING! Remember to tell me if you want a separate back-story published here on about the "kitties" of this story. 


	10. 3 Days to Die

Here's the next chapter! Kalika has quite a turnaround here…not so much like her mother anymore, eh? Anyways…

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The next morning, as the sunlight began to pour into her room, Kalika awoke. She looked down and stared at Zidane for a moment; for once in quite a while, he was breathing deeply and easily; he actually looked peaceful.

_Kylima's going to be here within the hour,_ she thought, staring down at the peaceful genome on her bed, _He's going to have to be shackled again. _

Kalika watched as a ray of sunlight his Zidane's face, lighting it up. His long lashes parted and his azure-emerald eyes focused on her. Her face must have betrayed the thought; Zidane stood up and walked over to the place he had been bound the last night. Kalika quietly walked over to him and, against his ear, whispered, "I wouldn't do it if it weren't necessary," Zidane gave a half-hearted smile. "I know," he whispered back.

She bound him, giving him as much slack as she could without making it look like he was free. She kissed his forehead; there were tears in her eyes. "What's the matter?" Zidane asked softly. "Nothing," Kalika whispered.

She slipped out of the room.

I0I0I0I0I

Kalika went down to the dungeon, to find Kylima. She was at the grindstone, sharpening her knives. Kalika stared for a moment at the gleaming metal before quietly saying, "He's going to be executed at Alexandria, is he not?" Kylima smiled and nodded. "I have a proposition for you, then." Kalika said, softly, sitting down next to Kylima.

"Go on," Kylima said with a gleam in her eye.

"What if we leave Zidane out to die, for three days, and if he's not dead within those three days, you may kill him as you please." A look of confusion crossed Kylima's face.

"You don't want him to suffer?" she asked, looking slightly concerned. "Oh," she whispered at length, "He's gotten to you, hasn't he?" Kalika turned away. "Look, I'm giving him a chance to die peacefully, and I'm also giving you a change to kill him as you please."

"But you know he won't last the three days, don't you?" Kylima retorted. "I'm hoping he won't, yes." Kalika said softly.

Kylima set down her knife for a moment and turned her full attention to Kalika. "If I agree to this, and he does survive the three day period, you can't back down. I'll need blood. I'll want guards posted near him for those three days, to be sure that no one rescues him or that animals don't kill him. If he dies in that time, it'll be from natural causes, understand?" Kalika nodded.

"Now, why the change of heart? You seemed to be enjoying him at your wedding…" Kalika shook her head. "Perhaps it was the blood. I really don't know. It just seems to me that he's been through too much over the past few months of his life…he's already been killed once, you know."

"I know. And that's why we're killing him again." Kylima picked up the gleaming knife and stared at it for a moment, running a finger along the edge. "He doesn't deserve to live; you know that."

"Still I…"

"Listen," Kylima said, gently placing a hand on Kalika's shoulder, "I'll take care of it, alright? I'll tie him in a tree outside Alexandria. I'll set everything up, so you don't have to…how does that sound?"

Kalika nodded softly. "Hey," Kylima said, gently rubbing her shoulder, "You have to remember, he deserves everything he's getting. Shall I show you?"

Kalika nodded. Curiosity overwhelmed her sense of fear, and she followed Kylima to her own quarters. She watched as Kylima went over to where Zidane was bound and lifted his head. Zidane gave a soft moan; Kalika knew he was exhausted, thirsty, hungry, and in _excruciating_ pain. She watched in quiet horror as Kylima turned him around and showed Kalika his back. The genome, to his credit, was amazingly quiet, saying nothing and staying as still as he could be. His back was brutally striped; it hurt Kalika to know that she helped contribute to that. "How is that a reason? It just shows cruelty," she asked, staring at Zidane. He didn't know what Kylima wanted; but he was very afraid…it showed.

"Forget it." Kylima said softly. "I'm taking him to Alexandria." She unbound the now confused genome and took him down to the dungeon, Kalika following. "Alexandria?" Zidane asked softly, a look of slight hopefulness in his face. Kalika shook her head, sadly as Kylima set him in a pair of cruel shackles. "She's taking you there to be executed." Kalika said, gently touching the side of his face. A look of pure helplessness crossed Zidane's features. "How am I to die?" Kylima, evidently, had had enough. With one cruel slap, she cried, "Silence!"

Kylima led Zidane up to the horse stable, where she had a horse prepared. She lifted a collar up and over Zidane's head, fixing it firmly along his throat. She brought the chain forward, where she tied it to the saddle. Zidane, in his weakness, was going to have to walk.

Kalika swung up onto her own horse. They set off.

I0I0I0I0I

It wasn't long before Zidane was utterly exhausted. He couldn't lag behind, lest he get dragged by the throat, which was not something he wanted to do.

Kylima, all of a sudden, dug he heels into her horse's sides. The horse broke into a full-out gallop, dragging Zidane behind. Kalika darted forward on her horse and grabbed Kylima's horse's reins before she killed Zidane. Not stopping to ask, Kalika went over to Zidane and cut him free, before gently lifting him up and into her saddle. Without a word she swung up again.

Gentle as a lover, Kalika pulled the collar off of him. She tenderly ran her fingers along his throat. As she had feared, the collar had cut him a bit. He seemed fine; he was leaning against her for fear, but his breathing was miraculously normal.

Their journey continued. Kylima said nothing, and neither did Kalika. Zidane rested against her a lot. She didn't do much for him, besides being there. She didn't baby him, nor did she simply ignore him. Zidane had a feeling it was because she was taking him out to his death.

At length, they came to the familiar forest of Alexandria. Upon picking a tree, Kylima lifted him up, binding his wrists around a branch. She let him hang there for a little while, enjoying watching him struggle in acute pain.

Kalika ordered the guards to watch him, not to let anything touch him, and to let him alone.

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AN/ Yes, I'm evil. GL's are gonna love the next chapter…and Blank is actually going to BE in the next chapter! YAY! Someone else from ff9! Every one dance! Sorry… 


	11. Blank vs Guards

Here's the next chapter! Poor Zidane…

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_Three days later_

Kalika traveled out back to Alexandria on horseback. Riding at a full gallop, she reached the tree Zidane was bound to within a couple of hours.

She could see Zidane, hanging limply. _Perhaps he's dead_…she thought, _perhaps he died mercifully._

As she came closer, however, to her dismay she could see his chest heaving slightly. Just to be sure, she came over to him and touched her fingers to his pulse. Though weak, it was there. She drew a deep breath, for she knew that at dawn the guards had gone to tell Kylima.

Zidane was obviously tired. The soft, labored nature of his breath gave that he was still in agony. She touched his face, gently. His long eyelashes parted. He stared at her for a moment. She gently pulled back some of the hair that fell before his eyes and whispered, "I'm sorry, Zidane."

The thought sunk in. She had condemned him to die a death meant for a criminal! She looked back at Zidane, who was too weak to even raise his head on his own. She lifted his head to peer into his eyes. He looked hurt, and at the same time, untrusting. She didn't blame him. While she still had the time, she slipped in behind him and lifted his limp tail. He moaned softly, but said nothing.

Pulling some of the salve from her cloak, she rubbed it in her hands for a moment, before rubbing his tail down with it. He gave a soft whimper, which turned into a soft purr. Kalika smiled.

The sound of pounding hooves and shouts filled the air. Kalika gently let go of Zidane. Kylima galloped straight to the tree, before skidding to a stop and sliding off her horse. She stared at Zidane for a minute before smiling in a most cruel manner.

"Guards?" she asked the horsemen that had ridden in with her, "Take him to the stone table and have him prepared for death. I'll be there in a few hours' time."

Kalika looked at Kylima for a moment. A few hours' time would put the execution sometime in the evening, past dark.

The guards cut Zidane down from the tree. He fell limply to the ground; they picked him up and began to drag him off. Kalika watched quietly, saying nothing and holding her cool expressionless façade.

I0I0I0I0I

As Zidane was dragged off to the stone table, someone saw him. Blank noticed the procession, and (as curiosity was one of his weaknesses) went to see what the commotion was about. Upon closer investigation, he saw Zidane.

_Zidane's alive!_ As he stared out towards the procession, Zidane didn't look very lively. He ran towards them, running solely on impulse until he reached the guards holding Zidane. He drew his sword.

"Stop!" He screamed, getting a good look at Zidane. He did not look good. He was limp in the guards' grasp and was bruised and bleeding all over. Zidane's tail was limp and covered in dried blood. Blank couldn't image what had happened to him.

"What the hell are you doing with him!" he screamed, looking on as they continued on their way. Blank ran in front of him, sword drawn. He repeated his question.

"What the hell are you doing with him!" The guards stopped, finally. Blank drew a deep breath to calm himself. "We're taking him to the stone table to be executed."

"What! What's the charge?" Blank demanded, staring at Zidane who was just _barely_ breathing.

"There is no charge. It's an order." Blank growled.

"From who!" _Surely not Garnet. She thinks he's dead, too._

"Empress KalmeKalika," the guard said. Blank shook his head.

"What authority does she have over Zidane?" he asked, wondering how on earth Zidane had gotten himself into this mess. _Oh, Zidane…_ Blank thought in dismay, _Tell me you didn't…I know you love women, but an empress? Like Garnet isn't enough for you._

"He belongs to her." Blank blinked in confusion. "What do you mean 'he belongs to her.'? Zidane Tribal belongs to no one!" There was a cough from Zidane, and then, "Can I talk to him, please?" The guards dropped him on the ground. Blank walked over to him. "Zidane?" he asked, "Who are these people and why do they want to take your life?" He heard Zidane take in a deep breath and then release it.

"I'm not entirely sure why they want my life, but I do belong to the empress." Zidane noticed the look of shock on Blank's face. "Listen," he said softly, "I was born a slave into her family and I was inherited to her."

"What!" Blank stared blankly at Zidane for a moment. "What about Tantalus? How do you explain how you got there?" Zidane coughed for a moment; Blank gently helped him to sit up so that he wouldn't choke.

"My mistress," Blank flinched at the word, "let me go with a promise that she would be back for me on my 18th birthday. She came back and killed me. Long story short: I was brought back and then my mistress was killed. Unfortunately, I've been handed down the line to the next in line. She owns me now. She's the one taking me to be killed. I don't know why; all I know is that they are cruel people, Blank. Don't get mixed up with them."

Blank looked genuinely shocked by the entire story. He stared at the whiplashes on Zidane's back for a minute before saying, "So you are to die tonight on the stone table?" Zidane nodded. "There will be a lot of people there." Zidane whispered.

Blank arched an eyebrow. "I'll come tonight," he promised. He stood up and began to run off towards Alexandria.

Zidane watched him leave, before being hauled up by his broken arms and dragged off to the stone table.

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AN/ Awwwww…poor Zidane. GL's are really really really gonna love the next chapter…because it is indeed Zidane's execution. ;; 


	12. Zidane's Execution

Before I begin the chapter let me let you know of all the warnings.

_**Violent character death**_

_**Lots of blood**_

_**A non/con kiss—but nothing more**_

If any of those make you want to run, then please do. All that this chapter really contains is Zidane's death, so if you don't like, just skip over to the next chapter.

Thank you!

KalmeKalica

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Kylima began to walk out towards the stone table. She noticed a crowd gathering around it; it was a crowd of Alexandrians. The guards managed to stay between the people and Zidane, who looked as if he was already dead. The three days out in the heat and cold had taken a cruel toll on him. 

The guards had done as she asked; Zidane was shackled and stretched taut against the rock. A soft wind blew; thunder rolled gently in the distance. She began to circle Zidane in a manner not unlike Cyra's. She found and held his gaze; he looked up at her pleadingly. She placed her hand upon his chest. Zidane flinched.

"Leave him alone!" Kylima spun around to find the one who had said that. Blank stood defiantly in front of the crowd, sword drawn for battle. Kylima snorted. "Who do you think you are? Zidane belongs to me." With that, she slapped him. He turned back to slash her with his sword when he heard a soft whisper.

"Don't, Blank," Zidane whispered, "Let her be." Blank slipped over to Zidane. "What's your plan, chief?" he asked in a bare whisper. Zidane shook his head. "This is the plan," Blank looked confused.

"You're going to let her murder you?" Zidane sighed softly and lay back against the cold rock. "Please Blank," he whispered softly, "Take care of Dagger for me."

Cruel laughter seethed from behind Blank. "Coward," Kylima whispered, staring into Zidane's eyes with predatory conceit. "No," Blank whispered, "I think he's braver than anyone I've ever known." Kylima growled.

"Get back to the crowd before I make you suffer the same fate as he." Blank walked slowly back to where Dagger stood. "What did he say to you?" she asked, her deep russet eyes brimming with tears. "He told me to take care of you for him." Dagger closed her eyes and leaned against Blank for comfort. He touched her back gently as she sobbed into his shoulder.

Kylima stared into Zidane's eyes, icily. He glanced away first, closing his eyes and turning away from her. She smiled. She had broken him. She leaned down and dragged a finger down his face, almost tenderly. In a whisper no louder than a breath of air, she whispered, "Dagger tells me that you are an expert at kissing." She watched in satisfaction as Zidane pressed against the cold stone in a futile attempt to get away from her. In exhaustion, he lay his cheek down on the opposite side as she. Kylima turned him back. He whimpered, before she laid her lips against his.

The kiss was not tender. It conveyed no love, only malice. To Kylima, it was yet another way of breaking his spirit. Zidane gave a soft whimper as she pulled back, her fierce features illuminated by torchlight. Zidane turned away from her to look at Dagger.

"Please forgive me…" he could only mouth the words, he was so weak. She stared at him for a moment before shaking her head.

"_La Tristie Utiliana Zidane Crullieliama."_ Kylima said. Zidane gasped. "No," he whispered, "Please…not that…please, I beg of you…"

"Silence!" she cried, growling in a way that made Zidane cower.

"What does that mean?" Dagger asked Blank. Blank shrugged. "I have no idea…but it can't be good. Look at Zidane!"

"It means, 'Zidane, marked slave of the blood line of _Kreshinka'_." said a voice from behind them. It made Dagger jump. She spun around, in time to see Kalika. Dagger was about to move away in panic when she saw that Kalika's face was streamed with tears. "She's about to mark him now, with that phrase on his chest." Dagger shook her head. "What? How?"

"Look." Kalika pointed forward. Lying flat against the rock, terrified and quivering, Zidane whimpered. Above him, Kylima was laying a blade in a torch. When she pulled it from the fire, it was white-hot. She smiled, sadistically, bringing it around so that it was inches from his heaving chest. A soft, desperate cry emanated from Zidane. Kylima pressed the blade against his chest. Zidane screamed. Kylima let it rest there for a moment before pressing the blade itself and slowly cutting him. Zidane writhed against his bonds, screaming in agony.

Kylima stopped for a moment, watching as Zidane fell limply back against the rock, panting in anguish. Dagger watched in horror as Kylima raised the blade back into the torch and let it sit there for a minute. She pulled it out again.

Dagger knew that being cut by a knife hurt a_ lot_; she could only imagine how much a searing hot knife would hurt. Zidane's cry left no doubt in her heart that it was immensely painful.

Slowly, little by little, the letters began to form. She gave him no rest except the minute as she would heat the knife again. If she wasn't satisfied with the letters, she'd go back and retrace them, carving them deeply into his delicate chest.

"Please!" he screamed at her, unable to bear the pain any longer, "Please Kylima, stop…I beg of you…" Surprisingly enough, though the knife was still hot, Kylima stopped. She took a moment to look down at him. Dagger watched a flash of tenderness cross her face. She leaned down to touch his face.

Just as Zidane closed his eyes in the warm comfort, she slapped him hard. She slapped him with the hand that bore the knife. She pressed the knife against his tender cheek, laughing as he screamed. She drew the knife back across. It left a gash across his cheek.

Zidane struggled during the last little bit of carving. Despite the explicit pain in his arms, the pain of being burned slowly was more painful.

Finally, after an eternity of sheer pain, Zidane was allowed to lie back against the rock. He breathed deeply; his chest felt like it was on fire, however, he was immensely grateful for the mercy of being allowed to rest.

After a few minutes rest, Zidane was lifted into a kneeling position. His wrists were bound to the trellis that grew above the table. It was _painful_. Kylima slipped in behind him and laughed softly. Dagger's lips parted in sympathy for Zidane; Kylima slipped her arms around Zidane's waist, smiling cruelly as he shook with fear. She laid her hand upon his injured chest; he choked back a sharp gasp. It must have been excruciating.

Kylima, once more, laid her blade into the torch beside Zidane's table. After a few minutes she pulled it up and held it next to her face. Her smile looked even more sadistic in the glow emitted by the hot knife. She lifted Zidane's tail. Dagger couldn't bear to watch. She buried her face in Blank's shoulder. "Hush…" he whispered in way of comfort.

Kylima laid the knife upon his tail, letting it sear his tender skin. Zidane screamed in agony. She moved the blade up right against his back, where his tail grew from. She bore a _very_ sadistic expression. Dagger looked up. _No…_she thought desperately, _not that…_

She drew the blade across his tail. Zidane screamed sharply as she began to draw it back and forth in a sawing motion. In one quick movement, she drew it down.

She had severed his tail.

Zidane gave one terrible, inhuman shriek, falling limply against his bonds. Kylima watched as he began to bleed profusely; within a few minutes, he stopped moving entirely.

Kylima disappeared.

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AN/ GLs enjoy that? It was HARD to write….poor Zidane…. 


	13. Kylima and Her Wolves

Hey everybody…(giggles nervously) Ummm…well…I killed Zidane…(huddles) No, not the rotten tomatoes! I'll bring him back! I promise! I promise! Don't hurt me! (hides behind a large cow) I'm scared…..

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Dagger ran to Zidane; his great sad eyes were closed. She touched her fingers to his pulse, praying desperately that she'd find one, even a weak one. There was none. Dagger turned to the crowd. "He's dead," she whispered.

In a soft, gentle movement, Dagger gently cut the ropes that held him so that she could lay him flat against the table. She looked at his chest for a moment. The words were scripted with a skilled hand; Kylima had a beautiful hand. _Oh, Zidane…_ Dagger thought. The scars on his chest looked like they were agonizing. "Poor Zidane," she whispered softly.

She remembered the look on his face after Kylima had heartlessly kissed him, the look that said, "Please forgive me, Dagger, _please!_"

And now he was dead.

Before the thought could fully sink in, a white-clad woman slipped into the front. "Malica?" Dagger asked, watching as the woman strode up to Zidane. _Then there's hope?_

"Blank," Malica whispered, grabbing him and staring at him, "Get these people out of here." Blank did as he was told and began the tedious task of driving the people out.

Dagger slipped over to Malica. "Can you revive him?" Malica shook her head. "That's not the problem. I can revive him, and I will, but his life will still be in danger." She slipped over to Zidane and pulled from her dress a small vile. She opened it and gave it to him; Zidane's eyes fluttered open.

Dagger shivered as she heard the howl. It was far away but at the same time close enough to make her nervous. Malica, curiously enough, took on a look of panic. "Dagger! We need to go, _now!_" Malica whistled. Before her galloped up a pure white horse, and beside it, a bay horse. Malica lifted Zidane onto the white horse's back, and gave Dagger a lift up and onto the bay horse. Malica swung into place next to Zidane. She dug her heels into her steed and galloped off as fast as the night.

I0I0I0I0I0I

All Dagger could do was to grip the horse's neck. It was too dark to see where she was going; her only prayer was the Malica knew what she was doing. She could just see the white stallion galloping beside her, Malica leaning over the glorious horse's neck. One hand was on the horse's mane; the other was holding Zidane.

Zidane was quiet; Dagger had no doubt that he was in too much pain to be conscious of what was happening to him. In his great blue eyes swirled pain, humiliation, and pure confusion. His eyes came to rest ultimately on Dagger. She could only offer him a small smile; she didn't know where they were going or why. Zidane's eyes rolled back and he fell limply against Malica's grip. He was simply too exhausted to try.

At length, Malica's horse slid to a stop, as did Dagger's. Dagger heard Malica whispering softly, to no one it seemed.

"We can't outrun them…I guess I have no other choice." Dagger slipped off her horse and walked over to Malica. "Can't outrun what?" she asked softly. Malica swung off her horse, setting Zidane down on the ground.

"The wolves. Kylima isn't stupid; she knew the instant she had killed Zidane, I'd be there to bring him back. The only way she knew how to counter that is to send wolves to either kill him if he's alive, or to tear him apart if he's dead." The distant howling in the air sent chills up Dagger's spine. "Their orders are to tear him apart, should they find him, or rather, hold him at bay until Kylima comes and gives them the order to kill."

"We have to leave then! They'll find him here!" Malica sighed softly. "Yes, they will." Dagger sighed as Malica walked back to her horse, and then watched in horror as she slapped her horse on the haunches. It broke off into a gallop, taking the bay with it.

Malica lifted Zidane up and out, into the open, and then turned and left. Dagger couldn't believe what was happening. Without even the meager cover of trees, Zidane was left even more helpless than he already was. She watched in horror as Malica disappeared into the night. She slipped over to Zidane's side. _Even if all else fails him, I'll still be here._

Out of the corner of her eye, Dagger spied wolves. Before she could even scream, she and Zidane were surrounded. The wolves were dark, ranging in color from black to dark grey; perfectly fitting for night hunting. From amongst the wolves, Kylima appeared. "Queen Garnet," she whispered, staring at Dagger who had lifted Zidane up into her arms, "Come here."

"I won't leave him," she whispered, clutching as tightly as she could without hurting him. Kylima growled. "Then I will have the wolves tear you apart too, but I'll give you another chance. Come here." Dagger stood up, and walked over to Kylima. She smiled, cruelly.

"Kill him." One wolf, the one Dagger guessed was the wolves leader, began to circle Zidane. It growled in expectation. It opened its jaws to kill Zidane.

A flash of white caught Dagger's eye; it caught the wolf, too. By laying its talons upon the wolf's back, it easily lifted the wolf up and out. The wolf yelped. With a growl, and a hiss, the now recognizable winged cat lifted him up higher and higher until with one great roar, released him.

A look of panic crossed Kylima's features. "Tear him apart _now!"_ she screamed. Dagger could no longer see Zidane for he had disappeared in the sea of fur; however, she heard his screams. Yet another flash of white began to run through the wolves, tearing through them and leaving a trail of whimpering wolves behind to get to Zidane. At long last, the animal got between Zidane and the wolves. With a sound not unlike a horse's whinny, another cat dropped from the sky and tenderly laid her talons on Zidane's body. She lifted.

Just as the thought registered, Dagger felt a pair of talons on her back as well. She too was lifted off the ground to a pack of six flying cats. The animal laid Dagger upon another's back, while the one holding Zidane simply held him there.

The one holding Zidane moved back slightly so that Dagger could see him. He was alive, but unconscious. He was lucky; one of the bite marks had missed his throat by a matter of inches. A soft, warm purr echoed from the cat holding Zidane. "I'd never abandon Zidane without a plan, Dagger." she said, softly. Dagger gently relaxed against her cat's neck. She was exhausted.

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AN/ Yay! He's alive…don't throw stuff at me okay? Please? 


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